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Bartlett family afraid state budget crunch could affect son’s therapy

By , Daily Memphian Updated: July 06, 2020 10:51 AM CT | Published: July 05, 2020 4:00 AM CT
<strong>Sam Mason couldn't resist giving his father, Eric, a kiss when he bent down to get the attention of their dog, Tabor, during a family portrait with his mother, Cathy, outside their Bartlett home on Friday, July 3. Sam, who is autistic, receives $1,300 from the state of Tennessee to pay for speech therapy, but if that revenue stream dries up, the Masons may be forced to make the difficult choice of paying for Sam's speech therapy or Eric's insulin.</strong> (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

Sam Mason couldn't resist giving his father, Eric, a kiss when he bent down to get the attention of their dog, Tabor, during a family portrait with his mother, Cathy, outside their Bartlett home on Friday, July 3. Sam, who is autistic, receives $1,300 from the state of Tennessee to pay for speech therapy, but if that revenue stream dries up, the Masons may be forced to make the difficult choice of paying for Sam's speech therapy or Eric's insulin. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian)

The Masons are worried state funding will be cut for the Family Support Program, hurting their ability to pay for speech therapy for their autistic son.

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Cathy Mason Sarah Sampson Brad Turner Subscriber Only

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Sam Stockard

Sam Stockard

Sam Stockard is a Nashville-based reporter with more than 30 years of journalism experience as a writer, editor and columnist covering the state Legislature and Tennessee politics for The Daily Memphian.


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